Challenged
by NeptunesBlue
Summary: COMPLETE. oneshot for DirtWaterPrince. based on two challenge sentences in "Siren Marching" Zuko and Katara in my version of "The Guru" in season 2


**Okay, this is a one-shot sparked by something I read called "Siren Marching" by DirtWaterPrince. I got "permission" to use two of the sentence challenges to create this. I personally thought they were two of the funniest ones on the page and just couldn't help myself. The first thing that came to my mind was "The Guru" where Katara runs into Zuko and Iroh in their tea shop and runs to tell the Earth King. This story is pretty random in a sense that it doesn't follow the actual episode (seeing as how I tweaked the plot to fit with the sentences…but then again what else are one-shots for??) Eh, enough prattle, enjoy already!**

* * *

Katara sighed. Why did this always happen when she least wanted it to? All she wanted to do was relax and enjoy the day. For once, their plans were going smoothly and it felt odd, not having anything specific to do. The Earth King was on board, Long Feng was long _gone_; and as far as Katara was concerned, her work was done.

Well…almost done. She still had to deliver the battle plans General How had given her to the Earth King. But she would take care of that after a nice cup of tea.

"Which one do you think, Momo?" she pat the bug-eyed lemur on her shoulder. She spun around slowly to allow the animal a view of each shop.

Momo chirped his choice after Katara had stopped in front of one called the "Jasmine Dragon."

"Hmm…," she placed a tanned finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Never heard of this one before. I hope you chose wisely, Momo," she stroked his ear despite.

Katara paused to survey the shop when she was just in the threshold. It looked promising, she had to admit. It wasn't at all cramped; but then again it was only noon, the rest of Ba Sing Se was probably still grabbing lunch. She surveyed the area for any familiar faces, knowing full well she wouldn't spot any. It had only been a day since Aang and Sokka had left, but it already felt like weeks to Katara. But at least she still had Toph. As soon as she came back from visiting her parents, Katara was going to drag her back to that spa for some more female bonding. And considering all the guys were actually gone, they could continue their day back at the house – pillow fights, makeovers, gossiping…

Sure. And maybe the Fire Lord would surrender to Momo, while she was at it.

Katara found herself giggling at such an outrageous prospect. Momo looked at her questioningly, and she rubbed his head again.

"I wonder if we just sit," she mumbled. "Or maybe it's wait to be seated?"

She and Momo stood awkwardly for a moment, waiting for someone to notice them and perhaps remedy their situation. A smile of relief played across her lips as she spotted someone wearing an apron approach. Though his face was covered by a menu, she could tell he was a waiter; therefore, she stood patiently eager to be seated.

From her shoulder she heard a series of little growls, and Momo started to grip Katara as his back arched defensively. The waterbender arched her brow (suppressing a squeal at how cute Momo looked) despite the warning he was obviously trying to give her.

"What's the matter, Momo?" she followed his narrow-eyed gaze and locked eyes with the last person she'd expect.

Katara gasped, and nearly fell over herself in her haste to get the heck out of there.

"Zuko!?" she shouted at Momo, who was currently soaring several feet above the waterbender's head. "Of _all_ the people to ruin my day!" A brilliant thought crossed her mind as her satchel bounced against her rapidly moving hips. "We have to tell the Earth King!" she steadied her bag and fished the scroll out of it, tossing it in the air for Momo to catch. "Keep it safe!"

Momo twittered his agreement before flying faster, ahead of Katara, and to the castle.

* * *

It had taken practically all he had to not spill the searing tea all over his customers. Zuko stared, wide-eyed at the spot where that waterbending peasant once stood. He took at polite but rushed bow and sprinted into the back room where his uncle was busy at work.

"She knows we're here!" he whispered.

Iroh sighed, forcing steam from his nostrils. His nephew's intrusion just made him drop an extra three jasmine petals to this current cup of tea. Needless to say, he was not amused.

"Who know we are here, Zuko?" he asked in a calm tone, despite himself.

Zuko's eyes were frantic as he scanned the area before speaking in a low voice.

"That water-tribe girl," he informed; his voice borderline hysterical. "The one that traveled with the Avatar!"

Iroh sighed again, sans the steam effect.

"Well, where is she now?" he asked. "And where are all her friends? I'm sure she would not wander alone if she wanted to start trouble, Zuko,"

Zuko didn't buy it. Suspicion surged through him as he untied his apron and threw it on the counter.

"Wait!" his uncle demanded, although he knew it was a futile effort. "Where are you going, Zuko?"

"Where do you _think_, Uncle?"

* * *

"Sheesh!" Katara exclaimed, placing her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

Before trying to get to the castle first like she _should_ have, Katara had run all the way in the opposite direction towards the Bei Fong estate. …Or what she _thought_ was the Bei Fong residence. She had run into several, actually.

"You would think that with all that money, they'd try and outdo each other with their houses!" Katara threw her hands in the air. "But no! All the houses have to be the _S-A-A-A-A-M-E_, don't they?"

She shook her head and glared up at the sky. The sun was setting already. Brilliant. She had wasted so much time trying to find Toph; she wouldn't be surprised if Zuko had had enough time to set her house aflame and return to tend to customers by now.

She rolled her eyes and set off again – this time at a brisk pace – to the palace. It wasn't very long, though, before a fireball nearly collided with her face. Naturally, she skid to a complete stop and shot around. Her canteen was opened and water in front of her before the next heartbeat.

"Waterbender," Zuko greeted in a snarky tone.

Katara's round cerulean orbs were currently slits, as she raised the water to resemble a worm.

"I wouldn't if I were you," he warned. "Right outside the palace? They would have the guards on us before you even hit me,"

"You mean they'd have the guards on _you_," Katara snapped. "Or maybe you forgot that _we're_ the good guys, Zuko,"

"That's _your_ opinion!" he growled, punching forward and sending another stream of fire at his opponent.

Katara raised a wall of water in front of her, forcing Zuko's attack to steam. "It's also the only one that matters!" she shouted, freezing the water and firing the spikes.

Zuko managed to dodge the majority of the tiny spears, but a few scraped his arms as they blocked his face. When he felt the barrage let up, he unshielded himself to see the waterbender's retreating form.

"Hey!" he shouted, rushing after her. He sent more flames after her, firing at will and not bothering to aim. The streets were dark and a few stray citizens had poked their heads out of the safety of their homes to see what all the commotion was about.

That was when things went from bad...to worse. Not only did he now have an audience, but also a liability!

He almost smacked into someone's house when Katara ducked around a corner, too quick to catch up to. Zuko grumbled a few choice words before taking off again. Anger fueled him now, making his bending wilder and uncontrollable. After getting whipped in the face by a bone-chilling stream for the million time; Zuko snapped. Adrenaline flowed through his veins like a poison, and propelled him forward. He was able to catch up to the waterbender and slam her into the castle wall.

* * *

Katara groaned and held her head, then instantly jerked up when she saw Zuko looming over her. How was he able to catch up with her so suddenly? It was impossible! The last time she checked her tail, he was practically in another district!

"I've just about had it," he snarled, tossing a fireball in the air and catching it as if it were an apple…or something else non-lethal and not on fire…

"Quickly, guards! There they are! Down there! Hurry!"

Both benders looked up; Zuko scowling, Katara grinning, as a horde of green-clad sentries closed the distance between them. Instantly, the fireball extinguished and Zuko took off in the opposite direction.

"Oh, no you don't!" Katara shouted, flinging whatever water had spilled before at the prince. The band wrapped around his ankles and Katara closed her hands to fists, freezing it. Zuko fell to the ground with a loud thud and an achey groan.

"Let me go!" he demanded, as Katara bound his hands behind his back.

"Like it's as easy as asking?" she mocked.

Soon, as the Dai Li approached, Zuko's frozen restraints were replaced by stone ones. He was brought unwillingly to his feet and dragged into the awaiting crowd.

* * *

"Thank you, Katara," a voice she couldn't place credited.

Katara had been instructed to follow the Dai Li into the prison area, and then she would be shown to the Earth King after they dealt with Zuko. Katara smiled broadly, feeling _very_ good about herself – she couldn't wait to tell Toph that _she_ had helped catch _Prince Zuko_! The earthbender would never believe her!

"I just wanted to deliver the plans to the Earth King," she said, still smiling as she tried to make out who she was conversing with. "But I guess Momo – our lemur made it here long before I did. Did the King get the scrolls?"

There was a sarcastic laughter that echoed off the prison walls. Katara's smile faded a bit as two Dai Li reached for her. They grabbed her arms tightly and forced her into the cell Zuko was currently struggling against.

"Hey!" she reached for her canteen, but it was gone. She mentally slapped her forehead. She forgot to strap it back on after being knocked into that wall before. She grew desperate and started to bite, but the Dai Li wore stone over their hands.

Before she could think of any other form of resistance, she was thrust into the cell and the iron door slammed shut with finality behind her.

* * *

"This is all _your_ fault," she grumbled, sticking her tongue out at the brooding Prince in the corner.

"Déjà vu," he commented dryly, staring up at the girl imprisoned with him; only this time it was a cavern of iron, and it _was_ totally his fault.

She didn't yell this time. Instead, she socked him in the kisser.

"Filthy peasant," he mumbled, after recovering.

Katara smiled sweetly, raised her hand again and broke his jaw.

"And stay down…," she smirked, watching as he flexed his chin.

Katara went up to the door, and looked around to the best of her ability. As far as she could tell, they were unguarded. She peered up at the ceiling and smiled at the beautiful water dripping from its cracks. Her blue eyes stared back at her in the reflection of the puddle beneath the door.

"What was _that_ for?!" Zuko shouted when she turned to him with a childish grin on her face. It hurt him to talk, but maybe _that_ was her plan all along.

"Can you still bend?" she asked. "Just shake your head or something. Your jaw's already starting to swell," she said it as if she were suppressing laughter.

Zuko stared at her like she'd sprouted a second head.

"Of _course_ I can still bend!" he shouted, taking insult. "How weak do you think I am?"

_Weak enough to be captured by a 'water-tribe peasant,' apparently…_ But she chose to voice that in her mind only.

"Good," she said, leaning in close to him. "Because I have a plan to get us out of here,"

Zuko couldn't resist a smile, despite how much pain it caused.

"_But_," she stressed. "If we get out of here, _no one_ will know about tonight's events. And you have to promise to leave me, Aang, Sokka, and Toph _alone_…and we'll do the same for you and your uncle,"

Zuko nodded, thankful for his restraints forcing his hands behind his back, so his crossed fingers would go unnoticed.

"Good," she smiled while drawing water from the puddle underneath the door and slicing Zuko's fetters.

He nodded his thanks while rubbing his wrists and wriggling his fingers.

"So what's your plan?"

"This,"

She fired the water against the belly of the door and froze it. She then sent an ice-covered spike through the makeshift target, shattering the metal and creating a little rabbit-hole for them.

Zuko's forehead puckered in confusion.

"You didn't need my bending," he noted. "So why release me?"

Katara rolled her eyes and pushed him through the hole, doing the same after.

"I couldn't just _leave_ you there while _I_ escaped," she offered.

He started walking. Taking the path the Dai Li had taken before, he debated telling the girl about Azula. He was almost certain that hers was the voice talking to the waterbender. But he decided against it; Azula was _his_ problem, after all.

"I would've just followed you," Zuko replied.

The waterbender snorted, irking the prince.

"And you would've what? _Hopped_ your way back home?"

* * *

**Okay, I intended this to end right at the challenge sentences…but that left them still imprisoned…and that left me sad :( but then I figured out a pathetically easy way for them to escape! :) ha. Hope that wasn't too weak an ending, for ya! Reviews appreciated and a cookie for whoever can guess the two challenge sentences!! **

**NeptunesBlue**


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